Synthetic studies toward highly oxygenated seco-prezizaane sesquiterpenes are reported, which culminated in a formal total synthesis of the neurotrophic agent (−)-jiadifenolide. For the construction of the tricyclic core structure, an unusual intramolecular and diastereoselective Nozaki-Hiyama-Kishi reaction involving a ketone as electrophilic coupling partner was developed. In addition, synthetic approaches toward the related natural product (2R)-hydroxy-norneomajucin, featuring a Mn-mediated radical cyclization for the tricycle assembly and a regioselective OH-directed C-H activation are presented. TOC Graphic AbstractSynthetic studies towards highly oxygenated seco-prezizaane sesquiterpenes are reported, which culminated in a formal total synthesis of the neurotrophic agent (-)-jiadifenolide.For the construction of the tricyclic core structure, an unusual intramolecular and diastereoselective Nozaki-Hiyama-Kishi reaction involving a ketone as electrophilic coupling partner was developed. In addition, synthetic approaches towards the related natural product (2R)-hydroxynorneomajucin, featuring a Mn-mediated radical cyclization for the tricycle assembly and a regioselective OH-directed C-H activation are presented.

Novel, substituted chromenopyrrolidininones have been synthesized from natural amino acid derivatives through an unprecedented sequence involving a Knoevenagel-transesterification sequence and an allylative palladium-catalyzed cyclization reaction. The products are nature-inspired heterocycles derived from natural amino acids. The targets could be synthesized with varying degrees of stereoselectivity: racemization is a known issue with amino acids and provided a formidable challenge to our method development, as well. Altogether, six derivatives were synthesized with yields from moderate to good.